Chestatee High School DECA competed among 2,000 other high school students from across Georgia recently at the DECA State Career Development Conference in Atlanta. Fourteen students placed high enough to move on to compete at internationals in Orlando, Fla., at the end of April.

Pack No. 203 Arrow of Lights Den was presented with the highest award in Cub Scouts, The Arrow of Light Award on March 1. The Arrow of Lights Den has had an exciting four years working toward each rank that led up to the Arrow of Light Award.

Gainesville resident Ed Rigel Sr. was recently installed as the President of the Lyman Hall Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution at the annual meeting of the chapter in Gainesville. The chapter has more than 50 members and is one of the leading chapters in the state. Rigel joined the organization as a descendant of Pvt. Cornelius Vanderbilt, a member of the Militia of Orange County, New York during the American Revolution.

In ceremonies held Dec. 11 at North Georgia College & State University in Dahlonega, several graduating cadets were awarded commissions as second lieutenants in the U.S. Army. They also received their degrees in graduation ceremonies held later that day.

Juan Taborda, of Flowery Branch, on the morning of Feb. 2, went to Atlanta to take the test to become a United States citizen. It was his second and last try under his current application. He passed the test and took the oath of allegiance that afternoon. Taborda was a native of Colombia, South America, and started studying for U.S. Citizenship in April of 2009 at First Baptist Church of Gainesville on Green Street along with his wife, Consuelo and daughter, Erika.